3 Nephi 11 - That Ye May Feel the Prints of the Nails in My Hands and in My Feet

3 Nephi chapters 11 through 26 are among my favorite in the Book of Mormon; Christ appears to the people of America to teach, to minister, and to establish His church. 

After the darkness dissipated, a group of people had gathered around the temple in the city Bountiful. "they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven," but ; "they understood not the voice which they heard" (3 Nephi 11:3). Strange, considering only hours before they had heard the voice of the Lord speak to them regarding their wickedness and the need to repent.  Finally, after the third time the voice spoke they understood. It was the voice of Heavenly Father introducing His son Jesus Christ. The people recorded that "it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn" (3 Nephi 11:3). 

The voice of Heavenly Father was more difficult for them to understand, though it was filled with quiet, piercing power. Why were they readily able to understand the voice of Christ, but had to strain to understand the voice of Heavenly Father? The scriptures do not explain this, but reading about this moment in the scriptures reminded me of Christ's role as our advocate and intermediary with the Father. Because Christ lived a perfect life and atoned for our sins he understands us perfectly has merit or standing with Heavenly Father; i.e. He is justified to speak to Heavenly Father and plead our case on our behalf. This is the reason that we pray to the Father "in the name of Jesus Christ." My speculation is that understanding the voice of Heavenly Father required more of the people of Nephi. More of their attention, focus, and humility. It also prompted the thought that Heavenly Father is patient and attempts multiple times to reach out to ensure we hear and receive His message of love and encouragement. 

Arise and Come Forth

Heavenly Father spoke to introduce His Son, and to encourage the people to "Hear Him" (3 Nephi 11:7). Christ introduced himself, and testified that He had completed His atoning work (3 Nephi 11:11). Christ invited the people to "Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world" (3 Nephi 11:14). There is symbolic significance to Christ instructions. In order for the people to know Christ and his role as redeemer, the receive evidence of his Atonement and divinity, the people first had to "arise and come forth." I love the notion that receiving a witness of Christ requires something of us. We have to "arise" or distance ourselves from our current sinful state through repentance, and "come forth" or take righteous action to try to draw close to the Savior. When we figuratively do these things, we can receive an incontrovertible witness of the divinity and power of Christ's atonement, and like the Nephites we can "know of a surety," and "bear record" that Jesus is the Christ (3 Nephi 11:15). 

After allowing each of the Nephites present to feel the prints of the nails in His hands and feet, the first thing Christ did was to ordain Nephi to the Aaronic priesthood and "give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven" (3 Nephi 21). This reinforces for me the importance of the ordinance of baptism, and symbolically reflects the natural order of spiritual progression through the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel. Christ had called the people to repent and given them evidence of His reality to bolster their faith. Now, then He reestablished the mechanism whereby they could covenant with God and have their sins washed away, and taught them the manner in which they were to baptize each other. 

When we colloquially talk about "the gospel" in the church, it is often a vague reference to teachings of the church and all the commandments. But when Christ speaks of the "gospel," and in this case His "doctrine," it carries a narrow and precise definition. Christ explained, "I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost" (3 Nephi 11:35). In language reminiscent of the sacrament prayer we use today, Christ explained that when we believe in Him, we will feel and be purified by the Holy Ghost. He expounded on His "doctrine" to say that "ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God" (3 Nephi 11:38). 

It is easy for us to overcomplicate "the gospel" and pile on layers of personal interpretation and cultural requirement. Ultimately, the gospel is to have faith in Christ, repent of our sins, and be baptized. If we make and keep this covenant, we will receive the companionship and sanctification of the Holy Ghost. Christ warned that to "declare more or less than this ... cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock" (3 Nephi 11:40). 


Application Questions

What changes can you make in your life to "arise and come forth?" What actions would help you become more pure and productive in the service of God?

Pay attention to what you mean the next time you use the phrase "the gospel." In what ways has your understanding of the gospel been overcomplicated or encumbered? How can a simple focus on faith, repentance, baptismal covenants, and feeling the Spirit help you draw closer to God?


Image Credit: Arnold Friberg